New firehall is No. 1 priority for E-K township

A new firehall to serve the northern part of the township is the number one priority for Elizabethtown-Kitley, according to members of a township committee.

The replacement of Fire Station 3 was picked by members of the fire and emergency services committee of the whole as top on the township’s to-do list.

The aging station at Frankville has been a concern for the fire service for years, and the new council has established a working group to move the project along.

Coun. Earl Brayton said the township needs to get going on the plans for the firehall, suggesting the township is not moving fast enough.

The township has yet to decide where the new station would be located – Toledo was been mentioned along with Frankville – what is needed in the station, how much it would cost, and where the money would come from.

“Sitting on our hands isn’t getting this done,” Brayton told council this week. “It’s up to us to get it done sooner rather than later.”

Yvonne Robert, administrator/clerk, assured Brayton that a subcommittee formed by Fire Chief Jim Donovan is working on the details, including the best location for the firehall, and it will submit its recommendations to council.

The township’s priorities for the fire department will be discussed at a committee of the whole meeting next Wednesday, she said.

The second priority for the fire department, as ranked by the committee, is to add a full-time deputy fire chief to the department.

His or her job would be to help Donovan and share responsibility for fire prevention and training, the fire committee said. Elizabethtown-Kitley used to have a part-time deputy, but the position has been vacant for three years.

The hiring of a deputy also would be part of the department’s succession plan to replace Donovan when he retires.

Councillors Rob Smith and Eleanor Renaud indicated that part of the debate would be on whether the township needs a full-time deputy or a part-time one.

The fire committee recommended a handful of other priorities for the department including:

– Expanding use of online programs for the theory part of training;

– new partnerships for training and sharing instructors and facilities;